


Amy and the Thanksgiving Play

by TheCobbledWriter



Category: Emmy The Robot (Webcomic)
Genre: Comedy, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:27:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28346115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheCobbledWriter/pseuds/TheCobbledWriter
Summary: Amy and Ajay have a very unique idea, putting on a Thanksgiving play for the children in their neighborhood.
Kudos: 1





	Amy and the Thanksgiving Play

Everyone was seated in front of the little makeshift stage in the Khatri’s front yard. Madeline was in Emmy’s lap, bored out of her mind. Corbin was busy reading a book titled “global market approximations in lieu of core competencies and national production service lines” and was sitting perfectly still next to Molly. Polly was attempting to stop Michelle from chasing down Nathan and Ryan due to their teasing, Franny keeping them both in a tight grip and looking unamused with the situation. Beyond the front row of the V.I.P’s had many more nandroids and their children seated and waiting for the show to begin.

Behind the curtains on stage stood Amy and Ajay. Nervously looking out to the large crowd of nandroids and children. “Oh Ajay isn’t this great? Your mother must have invited every child in the neighborhood to our show!” Amy was bouncing with excitement in her pilgrim uniform. Her hat would slowly fall off of her head before landing back on it from her rapid movements.

“I dunno Amy I’m kinda nervous, I didn’t expect everybody to be here...” Amy stopped and bent over to Ajay, placing her hands on his shoulders and giving a reassuring smile.

“Now remember Ajay, we rehearsed this for the past week and prepared. So just go out there and have fun!”

“But last time we rehearsed you couldn’t remember half your lines!”

Amy gave Ajay a little pat on his head and stood back up. “Well that was then and this is today! We can do this you and I. We shall give them the best children’s show this neighborhood has ever seen! They’ll talk about this for years to come! They came here for a grand time and by golly, we’ll give them just such a thing!” Amy was busy looking off in the distance, probably at an imaginary camera for her big Hollywood moment.

Ajay snapped his fingers to get the nandroid’s attention again. “Amy I think everyone’s parents made them come here.”

“Nonsense Ajay! Look at how excited everyone is!” Amy pulled the curtain back just a bit and Ajay could see that not a single child was actually looking at the stage.

“Amy… you might be right. We can pull this off! Let’s do it!” Ajay and Amy took their positions and prepared to start the show, Ajay remembering to put his crown back on.

With a swift arm and solid step, Amy emerged from the curtain and loudly announced her presence. The sudden action caught the attention of the children in the audience. “Ladies! Gentlemen! Pets and plants and nanny robots of the autonomous variety! Allow me to thank you all for coming on this wondrous evening to see the spectacular tale of a most joyous celebration! One that is celebrated the world over in the US of A, Canada, Brazil, Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Liberia! A day of thanks and of sacrifice, of harvest and of peace! Welcome to the tale of Thanksgiving!” Amy had awaited a round of applause, yet only a few metallic sounds could be herd from some of her constituents in the front row. She took a couple steps forward to the front of the stage and began to point to everyone in the crowd.

“Now my children! Who in this audience may tell us what Thanksgiving is?” Madeline was now wide awake and was the first to raise her hand into the air. “Ah yes! Madeline! Please speak now and forever hold your piece, uh… speech, or rather, speak OR hold your speech.”

“It’s a holiday where we eat a lot food of course.” Madeline had crossed her arms and spoke with a smile and a smug. She was apparently proud of giving this answer in front of everyone, facing Corbin directly while his face was still buried in his book.

“Well, yes, we do eat a lot of food. I mean… humans eat a lot of food and definitely not us nandroids! Not even to try it! But, can anyone here tell us of why we do so? Why we are so thankful during the fall? Where Thanksgiving came from?” The crowd remained silent at Amy’s questioning, no child could answer. Although a nandroid in the shadows had to cover her child’s mouth as he began to speak.

“Oh?” Amy had place a hand on her hip and the other on her chin. “No one knows it seems… Well, how about we rectify that? Allow us to take you on a journey and discover the origin of our wonderful catered meals as we drudge ourselves from one great holiday to the next!” Amy had moved back and went to one side of the stage with a hop, skip, and a jump. “Our tale begins a great deal of time ago, back during ye olden days in the land of Europe.”

The curtains slowly parted from one another as Ajay struggled to pull the rope. Amy was frozen in place while the audience waited, being thankful there weren’t any crickets in their neighborhood. The backdrop that was revealed was an exquisite autumn landscape portrait painted by Jasper Francis Cropsey that the Khatri’s had laying around in their storage. Amy had grabbed a shovel from off stage and went to the center of it to begin her tale.

“Now then, as the Europeans were discovering lands across the great sea, many saw the opportunities that were presented to them to start anew in a land unruled by kings and lords.” Ajay heard his cue and came out wearing his parents blanket and wearing a paper crown on his head. He wanted a staff as well but they broke it after dropping it down the stairs.

“Hark! For I am King James the First! Ruler of England! To what do I owe the… the unpleasure of your visit puritan scum!?” Amy took her hat off and fell to her knees in front of Ajay.

“Oh my humble lord, we are naught but separatists who have fled to Holland to escape persecution, but we wish to establish a colony in the vast lands of America. While Holland is a marvelous place where we are free to worship…” Amy moved her hand up to her mouth and whispered to the audience, “While having the great Zider Zee restaurant,” and giving a little wink. “We are scared for our culture, of losing it in this established land. One day my son had returned home and he… he…” Amy have covered her eyes and began to fake sobbing noises. “He was DUTCH!” Some of the children began to laugh at Amy’s outburst, Corbin gave a sensible smile and a singular chuckle after remembering some choice words he heard about them, turning a page in his book as Molly continued to watch. Michelle was completely invested as her and Madeline shuffled next to each other to avoid the twins.

Ajay had raised his hand to silence the nandroid’s cries. “While I do not like the puritans of this land, I see fit to approve this venture and send you away. May you take the Mayflower and begone from me!” Ajay waved Amy away as she raised to her feet, a wide smile etched on her face.

“Thank you my lord! We shall pay this debt in fish aplenty in this great and giving land!” Ajay took a stride back behind the curtain as Amy resumed her proud stance with her shovel.

“Thus it was that the separatists were allowed to take the Mayflower ship and leave Plymouth to sail to America in hopes of freedom and bounty. As they landed onto America, the first thing their feet touched was the now infamous Plymouth Rock, signaling their start to dig a path as America sett-”

“Excuse me miss, but I believe that’s my shovel you’re holding!” Amy eyes shrunk at the voice of the neighbor, yelling at her from his yard next door.

“Ah, yes. Is it? Silly me I must have grabbed it by mistake! Ha. Ha. Eh~~~.” She quickly ran over and handed the shovel back while avoiding the neighbor’s squinted eyes. She returned to the stage and opened her mouth to speak before being cut off again.

“The settlers didn’t touch a rock when they landed!” Of all people, Amy was surprised it was Nathan who raised this counter.

“Um~~~. Well they landed with the rock there so I’m certain someone walked on it. The exact rock even has the number 1620 written on it!” Amy nervously laughed and was relieved when Ryan flicked his ear, causing his attention to shift away from the play. “But, the pilgrims were now on the lands of America! They established the village of New Plymouth and were faced with a strong and hard fought winter.” Amy took her hat and placed it over her heart as she closed her eyes and hung her head low. “Half the colonists had died from exposure during the winter snow, as they chose to remain on the ship. A moment of silence for those that did not see their first American spring.”

“Exposure to what? Snow? How do you die from that?” Ryan asked, Franny shushing both him and Nathan during the silence.

After two seconds Amy flipped her hat back on with a swing and showed her recognizable smile. “But afterwards! The people began to flourish on the fertile soil! They built their village and were living in peace! During the month of March. The settlers were shocked when a native approached them, speaking English!”

Madeline looked over to Michelle with a confused expression. “They could do that?” She asked.

“I dunno.” Michelle shrugged.

“Indeed they could!" Emmy explained while keeping a single index finger up, "Many Native Americans learned English either by choice or when they were taken by English settlers.”.

Amy adjusted her pilgrim hat and placed both hands behind her back, she leaned a little to look off stage and saw Ajay was ready in his costume. “Thus this mysterious Native had introduced them to the tribe Wampanoag and their leader, er, chief rather, Massasoit. They brought items to trade and companions to meet including…”

Ajay had changed into a typical settler’s garbs including a vest. He had placed a couple feathers over his ear and boldly announced “Greetings settlers! My name is Squanto! I am a member of the Wampanoag tribe! Massasoit has arrived!”

A child had yelled from the back row, “His name was Tisquantum!”

While the duo looked at each other nervously, having forgotten a fact they went over many times in rehearsal, they reacted quickly to get the play back on the track. “Ah, err... Tisquantum! You shall be known to us as Squanto! You bring goods for trade! We come in peace and wish to sign a treaty with you all!”

Ajay managed to resume his script and got closer to Amy as he placed his hands together. “Massasoit shall sign this treaty! I shall live among you and show you how to grow food! You cannot speak our language but I shall interpret for you! You will flourish with the knowledge we shall bring!”

“Truly this man is a gift from god!” Amy acted in awe of ‘Squanto’ which was a type of attention Ajay rarely received, and greatly enjoyed. “To wit! We shall have food again! Please guide us to survive these strange lands!” Amy went back stage, the sound of rustling plastic could be heard as Ajay took over as speaker.

“So Squanto helped the new settlers plant their new crops and helped them communicate with the local natives. The settlers learned a great deal from his wisdom as he lived among the trusted companions of the Wanp-Wampo-Wum-Wam.Pa.No.Ag throughout his life and-”

Corbin had interjected, not bothering to look up from his book as he did so. “Tisquantum was actually kidnapped in 1614 where he learned english from a merchant, Massasoit distrusted him because of the years he spent living in London.”

“Ah yes, thank you as always Corbin.” Ajay lowered his eyelids and stared down at him, wishing he was a bit more entranced by the boring book he was reading.

“My Corbin is such a sweet little genius isn’t he?” Molly pinched his cheek as he showed no reaction. The yard filled with the audible sighs of every nandroid and child in the audience. Molly’s smile was unfazed as she hugged him.

“Ahem, anyway. For their first summer, the settlers successfully planted their seeds with Squanto’s guidance. When the fall had arrived, the crops yielded a bou… uh… a big harvest with lots of food! The settlers had a promising future in the village of Plymouth and wanted to celebrate with a great big feast!” Amy rolled out a large fisher-price table with plastic food and colorful fake silverware adorning it. A big fake turkey could be seen in the middle of it, cooked to fake perfection and with slabs of fake meat beside it. “The settlers invited the Natives who had helped them survive and wished to share their harvest with them.”

“The settlers didn’t invite them stupid! They just showed up!” It was Nathan’s turn to interrupt now, Franny said his name in a disappointed tone and hushed him.

“Well then how did Massasoit know to bring people from his tribe and deer for them to eat as well then?” Michelle counter Nathan’s claim with one of her own, the two sticking their tongues out at one another.

Amy picked up the rhythm of the conversation before the two could continue their bickering, picking up the turkey and holding it aloft in one hand. “Regardless, the natives and the pilgrims had a celebratory feast for three days where they enjoyed each other’s company. They entertained one another and there was a great peace in Plymouth Village. It is in this meal where two can come together as one that we should be thankful that such feats are possible with humans. Thus this meal was declared the first Thanksgiving Feast, giving birth to the tradition we now all enjoy in this modern era. It is why we have turkey, and pies, and-”

“I thought they didn’t eat turkey though?” Madeline asked.

“Oh right, silly me! They had pheasant during feasts of that time.” Amy answered.

A child in the back yelled out, “I thought they had duck?”

“My dads told me they had goose!” Michelle yelled, Madeline began to laugh.

“That’s gross!” She yelled as she continued her laughter.

“It is actually quite delicious if the guests at our last charity dinner are to be believed.” Polly responded.

“Well it didn’t necessarily matter what they ate, the point is what the meal meant." Amy explained. "That two different cultures could come together in peace and enjoy the bonding activity of a family meal. Squanto, Massasoit, the settlers, all were able to be peaceful during this time of great uncertainty and joined in harmony to aid in America’s future. Thus ending the story of Thanksgiving!”

Corbin had closed his book and looked up at the stage. “Wasn’t Squanto planning on overthrowing Massasoit when all this was happening?” he stated.

“Um~~~.” Amy scrambled to think of a response to Corbin’s rebuttal.

Madeline had chimed in “Things were peaceful right? Why would Squanto do that?”

“Peaceful?” Nathan huffed, “The settlers fought a war with them about fifty years later.”

“And how do you two know so much about all this?” Michelle questioned the two as Amy and Ajay resumed their nervous looks.

“My dad.” Corbin answered. “He talks a lot about Natives, he thinks it was great they all got sca-” Molly had suddenly covered Corbin’s mouth and looked around in shock.

“Uh, okay! I think it’s time for this genius to go home now!” Molly yanked Corbin off his feet and the two hurried away from the crowd back to her home. Other nandroids followed suit and started to take their children home as well. Amy quickly attempted to summarize the most important part of the play before more people left.

“Well, uh, the point is that even enemies or just people can put aside hatred for a while and enjoy the happy things. It’s something we can all do. Humans drive each other crazy a lot but they can’t forget those qualities of companionship, even if it only lasts a single feast. We can always put our negative aspects aside and work towards positive relations with one another, right?” Amy clasped her hands and was treating the stage like Broadway in her appeal. Ajay just looked at her confused while Michelle and the twins frowned at one another for how they had acted.

“But what happened afterwards then?” Madeline had raised her hand as every child and nandroid looked at Amy for the answer.

“Oh that’s my favorite part actually! See one of the settlers wants to see the frontier so he joins the Natives and becomes friends with them!”

“The frontier?” Polly questioned. “Amy you’re doing that thing again! That’s Dances with Wolves!”

Amy stared at Polly and the crowd in complete silence for a full twenty seconds. She was finally out of words and could only look on with a goofy stare. She grabbed Ajay and ran in the opposite direction, her pilgrim hat falling off as she collided with the table and knocked it over. She quickly scurried around it as the plastic food bounced and rolled off the stage. She headed towards the front door of their house, quickly opening it and shoving Ajay inside. She waved and yelled "Good night everyone!" before slamming the door shut in embarrassment.

Everyone was dumbstruck at first before taking it as the cue to leave. Madeline and Emmy were rather amused by the whole experience, chuckling and laughing to one another. The twins and Michelle apologized to each other for the teasing and setup a game they could all play at school next Monday. The twins themselves wanting to put on a play for a holiday themselves with Franny. 

Ajay and Amy were spying on everyone through the window as they left. They could see the happy faces and hear the bemused laughter from the children and their nandroids.

“I was really nervous about this but, I think they liked it, right?” Ajay faced Amy with a look of uncertainty.

“Of course they did! I’m so proud of you my little champ! You did such a good job!” Amy lifted Ajay from the floor and hugged him as tight as she could. The two going into the kitchen to celebrate completing the play they worked on together. Laughter filled the room as they talked about their mistakes and how it felt to perform in front of everyone. The evening was a happy one for the Khatri family. One of many that Ajay would remember for a very long time.

The End

**Author's Note:**

> All characters are from Dominic Cellini's "Emmy the Robot".
> 
> Please support the original artist.
> 
> https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/emmy-the-robot/list?title_no=402201&page=1
> 
> https://twitter.com/DomCellini_Art
> 
> https://www.patreon.com/emmytherobot
> 
> https://www.instagram.com/dommcell/


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